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Master of Science in Accounting (MS), University of Colorado Denver Business School (CU Denver)

Business School, University of Colorado Denver
 

MS in Accounting

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Accounting degree requires you to complete a series of common body of knowledge (CBK) courses, a set of background accounting courses and the MS in Accounting core courses. A comprehensive exam is not required to complete the MS in Accounting degree.

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Please see the course catalog for course descriptions.​​​​​​​



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Common Body of Knowledge

You are required to complete six (6) credit hours which provide a general business foundation upon which your graduate accounting degree will be built.

The required courses are:

  • Data Analysis for Managers BUSN6530
  • Applied Economics for Managers BUSN6620

CBK courses may be waived based on a course-by-course review of undergraduate or graduate business coursework by an advisor.

The accounting prerequisite courses provide the general financial and accounting knowledge necessary for a career in the accounting field. They also provide the knowledge you will use to pursue a more specialized focus for your MS in Accounting.

Prerequisites do not need to be fulfilled prior to admission. Prerequisite courses can be completed as a part of your degree program.  Transcripts will be reviewed for possible waivers by an advisor after admission.

Courses may be waived if you have appropriate accounting background knowledge. Please contact your graduate advisor for details.

  • Analyzing and Interpreting Accounting Information BUSN6550 (equivalent undergraduate courses Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting) 
  • Financial Accounting ACCT 6030 (equivalent undergraduate courses Intermediate Financial Accounting I and II)
  • Management Accounting ACCT 6070 (equivalent undergraduate courses Intermediate Cost)

Core Courses

The 30 semester hours of the MS in Accounting consists of 12 semester hours of required core courses, six semester hours of accounting capstone coursework, six semester hours of accounting electives and six semester hours of free electives. Up to nine credit hours may be transferred from an AACSB International-accredited graduate school and applied to the accounting core upon approval. These transfers are in addition to waivers for CBK courses.

Substitutions for core courses will be evaluated by a graduate advisor upon admission. See a graduate advisor​ for details.

The required accounting core courses are:

  • Legal and Ethical Environment of Business BUSN6540
  • Accounting Systems and Data Processing ACCT6054
  • Auditing ACCT6020
  • Income Tax Accounting ACCT6140

The required accounting capstone courses are:

  • Seminar: Financial Accounting ACCT6250
  • Seminar: Managerial Accounting ACCT6260  

 

Electives

Students complete six semester hours of accounting electives and six semester hours of free business electives.  Students may also elect to utilize the accounting and free electives to complete an accounting specialization. Refer to the specialization tab for more information.  A selection of your accounting electives include ACCT prefix courses numbered 6000 or higher excluding ACCT6030 and ACCT6070.

    For the six semester hours of free business electives, you may select any BUSN prefix course numbered 6800 or higher or any course numbered 6000 or higher with the prefix of ACCT, DSCI, ENTP, FNCE, INTB, ISMG, MGMT, MKTG excluding ACCT6030 and ACCT6070.